WASTE

Solutions to economic challenges

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, and SUN (Stiftungsfonds für Umweltökonomie und Nachhaltigkeit), presented the results of a major new study at the European Commission’s stakeholder conference on the circular economy in Brussels.

REDISA (Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa) is a firm supporter of the circular economy and was a key contributor and participant in this year’s report compilation.

The report’s findings are timely: as the European Commission considers its circular economy strategy and consults with stakeholders in order to develop a circular economy package by the end of the year, Growth Within provides a fact-base to inform the choices that need to be made.

This latest research presents, for the first time, a vision of how the circular economy could look at addressing three of Europe’s most resource-intensive basic needs: food, mobility and the built environment, which together account for 60% of household costs.

Hermann Erdmann, CEO of REDISA, was appointed by the McKinsey Centre for Business and Environment, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and SUN to the prestigious circular economy report Advisory Board to provide an understanding from a South African perspective, and highlight key learnings with regards to the direct benefits of a circular economy.

“REDISA is very pleased to have contributed to key findings of the report. On a planet of finite resources, the circular economy is not optional, it is inevitable. Within two years we have developed a circular economy within the tyre industry in South Africa and have seen tangible results: over 2 000 new jobs, and over 180 SMMEs developed and supported. The implementation of circular economies will lead to unprecedented opportunities, the creation of reverse logistics networks, new processes and new industries using the recovered resources,” said Erdmann.

“The economy is undergoing profound transformation as the technology revolution reaches scale. This report has shown that by applying circular economy principles we can catalyse this change, achieve a real system shift, and open a new era of growth and development, decoupled from resource constraints.”– Dame Ellen MacArthur

For REDISA, the circular economy means balancing economic growth, infrastructure development and creating small business opportunities as well as jobs to the poor - while lowering our emissions and overall impact on the environment.